Do tortoises love to be pet?

Beasty_Artemis

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Some days my red foot Artemis is really outgoing, and others not as much. But on her "friendly" days, she will follow me around the perimeter of her table and put her head all the way out. She lets me pet her head all that i want. Though she usually will try to taste my finger.
 

TairaBacca

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Really great news! My tortoise now stretches out his neck whenever he is on my lap. If I pet his head then he stretches out even farther to let me give his neck a good scratch. I guess I just needed to give my RT some time to get used to me. Thanks for all of your replies
 

the Turtle Shepherd

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I once received a male Redfoot tortoise from a woman who had had no other pets and petted and sat with the tortoise for extended periods of time. For about ten years.
When I got him, he quickly got into acting like a tortoise. Never seemed to want any interaction with me or anyone else. He was very interested in the 5 female Redfoot I had at that time.
I can't honestly say that that "lap" tortoise and old lady had a special bond or not. I just strongly feel that he had gotten used to so much physical human interaction for such a long period of time that he had gotten used to it.
At any rate. The tortoise was healthy. The woman was happy. It was a win, win situation.
So perceived or real, It worked.

On a side story. I have brushes screwed to the side of my pens and they are there because my tortoises will occasionally use them to rub back and forth on. Like they are scratching an itch.
I have attached a picture of one of the brushes
this post is full of precious information and your brushes just take the cake :)
 

the Turtle Shepherd

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I have 2 tortoises. They are siblings and are 2.5 years old. One is very outgoing and lets me touch him pretty much anywhere and the other one sucks into his shell the second I even look at him. They were raised under exactly the same conditions and handled daily for soaking, etc.
oh oh, i had this going on, until i realized the the bigger was mentally intimidating the smaller, i had to separate.
 

the Turtle Shepherd

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this post is awesome first of all:)
all chelonians are like people - some like it and some not, depends on where they started and what they lacked. some of my mine are ok with petting, all are pretty much rescues so some came from not so fantacstic conditions and can not be happier roaming on their own, while others will come up to me and look me int he eyes, with their one eye, sideways, you know:) they are so funny.
but i handle and train all of my turtles and tortoises except for my read eared sliders, they just want to jump in my arms and they are huge and snaky looking, lol:) so the bottom line of my petting experience is that turtle and torts are easily trainable like dogs very much are, and if yo ustart a routine of any kind, including the rubs - they will get used to it too and who knows - might even enjoy it. :)
 

the Turtle Shepherd

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Currently my russian tortoise is bonding very well with me. He likes it when I scratch his shell but once I go to his actual skin he gets very scared. I have heard that the Aldabra tortoise and the Galapagos like being scratched/petted on the neck.
Should i try to continue getting my tortoise to trust neck scratching? Is this specie specific? Is just rubbing the shell with a toothbrush fine?

Ps: the shell of my tortoise sometimes chips a little. Is this normal?
so, the beak on your tortoise says too things: wrong diet and wrong feeding surface.
the shell flaking screams - wrong diet, so you already have two things pointing to the wrong diet. the lose calcium usually can mean two things - vitamins and especially iron. people think that it is calcium that is the most important, yes it is but other vitamins especially certain oils and especially iron is what keeps that calcium in place.
describe his weekly diet, be specific, he is not getting something,
also another problem might be the lack of vitamin d, aka sunshine, it is free and needs to be soaked in for an hour or so daily to produce the right amount. vitamin d is super important in proper bone health, and without it the animal can get metabolic bone desease.
 

Maitaimommy

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My russian and I have started bonding and i rub the shell and head softly for a few seconds several times a day. Seems fine with it.
 

TairaBacca

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so, the beak on your tortoise says too things: wrong diet and wrong feeding surface.
the shell flaking screams - wrong diet, so you already have two things pointing to the wrong diet. the lose calcium usually can mean two things - vitamins and especially iron. people think that it is calcium that is the most important, yes it is but other vitamins especially certain oils and especially iron is what keeps that calcium in place.
describe his weekly diet, be specific, he is not getting something,
also another problem might be the lack of vitamin d, aka sunshine, it is free and needs to be soaked in for an hour or so daily to produce the right amount. vitamin d is super important in proper bone health, and without it the animal can get metabolic bone desease.
Yep I agree. Just finished making an outside enclosure for sunlight. Also I am giving more calcium through collard greens and cacti(prickly pear). Dies collard greens have iron? Good sources of calcium and iron you recommend ? Thanks
 

William Lee Kohler

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Sometimes. Some of my hinges like to have their hinge scratched(they lean into it)and one or more of my Redfoots like their head/neck region scratched. Also I've enjoyed scratching the necks of the Galapagos at San Diego Zoo.
 

Versace

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I got my cherry head a few weeks ago as a hatchling. At first he was really shy, but now whenever I pet his head he rubs up against my finger and he loves it when I rub the back of his neck and under his chin. Ive seen a few things saying that Redfoots don't like their necks being touched, but if you bond with them and they're like mine they'll probably come to enjoy it :)
 

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TammyJ

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My Burmese stars are quite tolerant of their head and necks being rubbed as Brenda and my grandkids like to do that.

However it is nothing like a Galapagos tortoise that will absolutely freeze and let you pet and rub its neck and legs as long as you are willing to do it. And they will stay frozen in that position for about 5 minutes after you stop waiting for you to begin again. Brenda really enjoyed that! We were told the theory is a reflex developed to allow some birds the time to pick parasites from their skin, like cleaning stations...

View attachment 210448
I know this post is a bit old, but I love it because it reminds me of what my green iguana does when I stroke him, close his eyes, raise his head and freeze... it's the exact same thing. But I have been told that it is a kind of instinctive self-protective act almost like "playing possum". Who really knows? It sure does look like blissful enjoyment, if it was a human doing it!
 

Hayes Johnson

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Spourd the Russian tortoise loves to be pet on the top of his neck, and loves when i wiggle my finger in the skin near his back legs.
 

Borgijo

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I wish I could download my video of Jewel when she lets me give her neck rubs it won’t let me. She has loved them when she was a hatchling. As you start, she stretches her neck out really long. It’s so cute. She is two now & isn’t as fond of it.
 

Hayes Johnson

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I wish I could download my video of Jewel when she lets me give her neck rubs it won’t let me. She has loved them when she was a hatchling. As you start, she stretches her neck out really long. It’s so cute. She is two now & isn’t as fond of it.

My tortoise used to love that too!
 

Elijah

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My big sulcata LOVES to be touched and pet. She won't even go to bed unless I sit beside her, and hug her, and give her a neck rub before I turn out the light. She will come find you to get back rubs in the day time.
 

TammyJ

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My big sulcata LOVES to be touched and pet. She won't even go to bed unless I sit beside her, and hug her, and give her a neck rub before I turn out the light. She will come find you to get back rubs in the day time.
Can we get a few pics of these cuddly moments, please?:)
 

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